The Chandel District Administration on Friday conducted a hands-on training session for district police personnel on operating biometric machines as part of the state’s intensified effort to register illegal immigrants entering Manipur through its sensitive border regions. The programme, held at the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, comes amid a steady rise in the detection of undocumented foreign nationals in districts such as Chandel, Tengnoupal and Churachandpur.
Deputy Commissioner Laishram Nandakumar (IAS) briefed the participants on the updated guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which now mandate mandatory biometric registration of all illegal entrants prior to their deportation. He explained that while the earlier system depended on physical documents and manual verification, the revised instructions require the entire process—capturing fingerprints, iris scans and photographs—to be conducted online.
Once the biometric data is recorded, the information will be uploaded directly to the MHA’s Foreigners Identification Portal, where authorities will verify the individual’s identity and nationality. The Deputy Commissioner said the new digital process is aimed at ensuring accuracy, eliminating duplication and strengthening the state’s overall documentation mechanism.
However, he also highlighted the logistical challenges faced by border districts. Many remote locations still lack stable internet connectivity, hindering real-time biometric registration. To address this, the district administration is coordinating with the Assam Rifles to provide technical support and establish connectivity in difficult terrain, ensuring that field teams can complete registrations without prolonged delays.
Friday’s training programme focused on equipping police personnel with practical experience in handling biometric devices, understanding the new digital workflow, and troubleshooting common issues encountered during online processing. Officials said the training will help strengthen Chandel’s preparedness in implementing MHA directives and enhance the district’s capability to identify, verify and document illegal immigrants more efficiently.
